German shepherd dog
The German shepherd dog bloodlines in America barely resemble the German shepherd dog bloodlines of Germany. The two differ dramatically in both temperament and appearance. The German breeders have focused on retaining the dog breed's working ability combined with outstanding looks. They focus on maintaining the physical capabilities of the dogs, but the American breeders focus more on what the dog's outward appearance for the show ring reflects and they do not take into consideration the breed's function as a working dog.
Schutzhund
Schutzhund is the German equivalent of protection dog training. In Germany the sport is simply called, "hundesport." The ring sport tests the dog's ability in protection, tracking, endurance, scent work and decision making. There are three titles that must be obtained in the sport. They often take a dog years to pass all the trials. A dog must possess a Schutzhund title to have breeding rights or will not be allowed to breed. The Americans do not require this.
Temperament Focus
The focus on temperament is apparent in the German bloodlines. The dogs must posses the ability to be true working dogs before breeding can take place. In America the dogs are bred randomly based solely on the titles they achieve in the conformation ring. The dog is not required to have the temperament that history dictates the German shepherd should have. This lapse in taking the dog's mentality into consideration has made the American bloodlines weak in temperament and produced dogs that are unable to perform as police dogs, guard dogs and working dogs.
Hip Dysplasia
Hip dysplasia is a genetic disorder that affects many breeds but is common in the German shepherd. It is a painful condition that slowly renders the dog incapable of moving without pain. The disorder is preventable through selective breeding. In America many breeders have all their breeding stock X-rayed to rule out the carriers, but it is not a requirement for breeding so many dogs are bred that still pass along the disorder. In Germany a German shepherd is not allowed to be bred and registered unless it passes the X-ray tests to rule out hip dysplasia. This has enabled the German bloodline to dramatically reduce the incidence of hip dysplasia in the breed.
Fight Drive
The German line has managed to maintain the "fight drive" of the German shepherd through selective breeding for the trait. Fight drive is inherited. It is an instinct that the dog has to step out and take on whatever the dog comes face-to-face with. The dog will not show fear. No amount of training will ever instill the genetic fight drive of a true German shepherd. The American line has lost this drive. The dogs often exhibit a drive that is fueled by fear instead of the working ability that the German lines focus on. This has made it difficult and almost impossible for many American lines to seriously compete in Schutzhund against dogs from the German line.
Physical Differences
The American German shepherd looks dramatically different from a German line German shepherd. The angulation of the hips of the American dog are extreme. The dogs' overall movement is seriously affected to the point that many dogs would be unable to perform the same endurance tests that a German line dog would have no problem completing, such as scaling a wall. The American dogs are finer-boned with a much narrower head. The ears are softer and more rounded.
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